


Mother Knows Best

by anxiouspunk



Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: Coming Out, F/F, Family Bonding, Fluff and Humor, I love Lorelai to death but she is LITERALLY the hardest character to write, Implied/Referenced Sex, Is this crack?, I’m probably not as funny as I think I am, MAYBE!, Rated T for suggestive themes, also condoms, bi!Paris, bi!Rory, but I don’t think so, but absolutely no big scenes or details or anything, do I need to tag that?, hey look it’s my first fic title that isn’t actually a song lyric!!!, incredible, it also may be one of those secret relationship tropes, it’s mostly about straight people being totally oblivious, michel knows that's up though, so scary, takes place during college years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 07:16:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14303601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxiouspunk/pseuds/anxiouspunk
Summary: “You know, those two are so sweet, it’s nice they’re so close.”“Oh, yeah, you’re telling me – they’ve come a long way from being at each other’s throats.”“Well it’s so important to have good girl friends.”“Vital. I mean, Rory has Lane, but her and Paris have become so entwined as friends –”“You two must be joking!”Lorelai and Sookie both turned to a somewhat enraged Michel.“My god, I’d be surprised if you both don’t develop cataracts by how blind you are!”-Or, the one where Lorelai is the most loving but oblivious mother.





	Mother Knows Best

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So, basically, the story behind this is that I came up with this idea and thought it was so hilarious I had to make it. So, enjoy all these weird antics :)

The Dragonfly Inn was already abuzz with activity.

 

It hadn’t even hit late afternoon yet, but that was to be expected. It was the long weekend after all, so they were due for an influx of guests.

 

Lorelai was manning the front desk, Michel right by her side. She’d been busy with the thick binder full of papers. With all the files kept around here, some reorganizing was in place; her, Sookie and Michel collaborating to get the overflow of paper under control. She was doing all she could to get finished early, as her daughter was supposedly due to stroll in at any minute to spend the three day weekend together.

 

She’s pulled out of her thoughts by the noise of the desk phone ringing. Her eyes lift over to Michel who was behind the computer screen at, what she can only hope is, hard work. He doesn’t move, even as the phone continues to blare.

 

“Michel.”

 

“Hm.”

 

“The phone is ringing.”

 

“How observant.”

 

“Care to answer it?”

 

“Not particularly.” He answers, continuing to scroll through something. Lorelai bites into her cheek, watching the phone light up as it demands for someone to answer. She’d already picked it up the last three times after he didn’t seem bothered to move from his spot.

 

“..How about, you answer, so that when that elderly couple in suite twenty inevitably call down again to get someone to come help turn on their t.v for the tenth time, I don’t send you up.”

 

He raised his head to her, a sour glare. Lorelai grinned right back. Slowly, his hand reached over and swiped the phone, bitterly mumbling a greeting into the mouthpiece. Lorelai smugly went back to work. Not long after, Sookie appeared by her side.

 

“Hey. My new cake pans arrive yet?”

 

Lorelai scrunches her nose sympathetically “Ah – sorry, not yet. The delivery guy called; they either got a flat tire or accidentally ran over some woodland creature. Or both.”

 

“Ah. A classic case of getting a flat tire by running over some woodland creature.”

 

“Classic. Sorry Sook. They probably won’t be here till late afternoon.”

 

“That’s probably because you keep ordering from that same moron who parked on the opposite town and then towed his entire delivery here.” Michel told her. Both women glanced back over.

 

“He gives me discounts!” Lorelai defended, looking down to phone now back on it’s hook “And what did the people on the phone want?”

 

“They didn’t say.” He answered simply, pulling out a note pad from the drawer.

 

“You didn’t _ask?”_

 

“Well when I began talking, the man asked me why I had a French accent when he called into an American hotel.” He slammed the drawer closed “I refuse to answer that question.”

 

“You couldn’t have just told him you were an illegal stowaway or something?”

 

“Not if he sounds like the kind of person who _would believe it.”_ Michel gritted through his teeth “Frankly, I don’t want him to come here, because really you’re not paying me enough to put up with that kind of stupidity.”

 

“Hmm.” Lorelai reaches for the phone “Maybe I’ll just call the number back to tell him you were switched at birth by fairies –”

 

“ _Lorelai –”_

 

“Well I guess it’s true what they say,” 

 

All three adults  snap their heads up , finding two  familiar  young girls amusedly watching the scene from  the other side of the desk. Rory smiled from the front and Paris stood just behind her  with a brow hooked. 

 

“you go away from home and nothing ever changes.” 

 

Lorelai grins, coming around with open arms. 

 

“We were just warming up.” She tells them, throwing her arms around her laughing daughter. They hugged tightly, everyone else beaming at the scene. 

 

“You two are early!” Sookie piped up, leaning across “Lorelai said you wouldn’t be coming till tonight.” 

 

“Things ended up finishing early so there was no point in waiting around.” Paris explained, placing the plastic fast-food cup she’d been sipping out of on the counter “Besides, leaving later would’ve been a nightmare anyway, with traffic hours and the fact that Hartford drivers drive like they have two left _feet._ We just saved ourselves extra gas and trying to work around people who, I _swear,_ got their licenses out of _cereal boxes!”_

 

“And that’s one of the _kinder_ phrases.” Rory grins up at her mother. Lorelai grins back. 

 

“Oh Paris,” Lorelai drawls, holding up her arms to the blonde “I always forget how dull and quiet, these visits are without you here..” 

 

Paris threw her a deadpanned look, but lost it quickly before she smiled.

 

“It’s good to see you too, Lorelai.” She meets the hug eagerly, tightening her arms around close “I have to thank you again, for letting me stay over the long weekend.” 

 

“Kid, c’mon. Don’t give me that speech. I should be thanking you for driving Rory all the way out here.”

 

“Please, it’s not that big of a deal –”

 

“Says girl who just complained about how much she hates other drivers.” Rory quipped, unable to keep in the smile. She’d now grabbed the drink on the counter and put the straw to her lips. Michel, who’d been eyeing the scene silently, furrowed. Paris glared over at her. 

 

“As I _said,_ it’s not that big of a deal, especially since I’m used to being your chauffeur.” Paris spoke matter-of-fact, but a smirk still pulled at the corner of her lips. Rory only rolled her eyes, both Lorelai and Sookie chuckling. Michel raised a brow. 

 

“Because _you_ wouldn’t let me take the bus!” 

 

“Why would you take the bus?! I have a car! Or do you _want_ to arrive a day after?” 

 

Lorelai grins amusedly “And you don’t want stop at home either..?” 

 

“Do I want to be stuck in the house with my parents for the next three days straight? Not particularly. I’d much rather be with Rory.” 

 

Michelle sees how Rory smiles over at the blonde. 

 

“Ah – ugly, huh?” 

 

“Apparently neither is traveling, so they’re both at home currently, when frankly, the holidays only _worked_ when one or both was away.”

 

“Fun. Well, I’m sorry to say I’m still wrapped in work, but..” 

 

“That’s okay Mom, don’t worry about it. We were just gonna go over to Luke’s for lunch. We’ll meet up later?” 

 

“For sure. It’s not like I do anything important around here, they won’t miss me.” 

 

“Perfect. See you guys!” Rory smiles bright and waves to the three adults before Paris drags her away. The two women say their goodbyes and Michel just makes a polite smile and nod, eyeing them as they walked away. 

 

“I didn’t know Paris was coming.” Sookie mentioned. 

 

“Yeah, not originally, but Rory brought it up –”

 

“Mm.” Michel hummed to himself, still squinting off at the girls. 

 

“– because like mentioned, it’s not the most fun at her house right now so Rory asked me –”

 

“Mm.” 

 

“– and she was just so adamant about it –”

 

“Mm..” 

 

“– ‘cause I think she was worried for Paris –”

 

“Mm..”

 

“– that she pleaded for her to come stay –”

 

“ _Mm._ ” 

 

“– which was totally fine with me and Michel _what_ are you doing?!” 

 

The Frenchman turned back to his colleagues. They were staring back at him, Sookie with an amused smile and Lorelai with an expectant raise of her brow.

 

“...Nothing.” He finally decided. Lorelai scoffed. 

 

“Uh-huh. Yeah. Like I can’t read your _hmmms_ like the back of my hand. How did someone manage to annoy you in that ten minute span?”

 

He only furrowed, glancing back to Rory and Paris who’d paused in the doorway. 

 

“...They were drinking out of the same cup.” 

 

“ _What?”_

 

He turned back with a pointed look “They were drinking from the same cup. Why were they doing that?” 

 

Lorelai just blinked back. Sookie looked like she was trying to figure it out herself, but couldn’t come to a conclusion. 

 

“..I don’t know Michel, why don’t you _ask them?_ ” Lorelai could only say. Why did that matter?

 

“If you’re not drinking from it, I don’t think you need to worry about crossing germs.” Sookie brought up, her best friend snorting after. Michel furrowed again, whipping his head back to look if – 

 

“What about _that._ ”

 

He pointed to the girls who were now pulling over their jackets for the brisk spring air outside. Paris was helping Rory pull over the jean jacket, tugging it down, and then the two left with her hand on the brunette’s back. Lorelai gasped loudly. 

 

“She’s helping her friend put on her coat – how crude!” She spun to Sookie, eyes purposefully bulged “We must alert the church elders.” 

 

Sookie didn’t miss a beat “Oh you know they find these things most blasphemous.” 

 

Michel groaned aggravatingly, immediately beginning to gather his things off the desk. 

 

“I never know why I bother with you too, honestly..” He mutters and walks off, leaving them grinning behind him. 

 

“I’ll warn you before giving Sookie half my sandwhich later!” Lorelai called after him, the chef snickering beside. 

 

“That was a pretty big stalk off – you think we’ve maxed him out yet?..” 

 

“No way, it’s not even one o’clock yet.”

 

-

 

“Why do I not find it surprising that once you brought work home, you lost it? I should’ve just started working on making new files.” Michel grumbled. Thankfully, they’d depromoted him to the back of the Jeep, so his complaints were a little more muffled.

 

“Ye of little faith.” Lorelai replied. 

 

“Isn’t he always?” Sookie smiled from the passenger seat. Lorelai chewed on her bottom lip. 

 

“Fair. But you’ll find that it’s not _lost,_ just in my house.” 

 

Lorelai wasn’t going to call the currently misplaced files lost until they got back to the house. She’d taken some  of the ones they’d been working on  home  last  night to redo herself, came back with them, only for Michel to tell her later that quite a few crucial papers weren’t there  with them. Now, headed to the house with the two of them in the car, she was sure to find the rest to give back to her pessimistic concierge.

 

The girls were already home; she had to, unfortunately, tell them she’d be making it back late. And now, that she was towing in the other two through the door. 

 

“You want us to fan out? Start our search party?” Sookie offered.

 

“Nah – I’ll just grab the papers and Michel will be, well, at least moderately content.” 

 

“I won’t hold my breath..” He muttered back. 

 

“Hey Rory?!” 

 

“We’re here!” came the call from the couch. Lorelai wandered over and the others followed. 

 

Paris and Rory were sat in front of the t.v, Paris upright and Rory leaning against her side, head nestled over her shoulder. Arms under the blanket that was  strewn over their laps. Michel’s eyes  go a little wide . Cuddling. On the couch. But the older women didn’t even blink. 

 

“Hey – you guys haven’t seen any paper files around here, have you?” Lorelai asked nonchalantly, starting to snoop around the table, nudging feet and pizza boxes.

 

“Uh, no, not that we saw. Lose something?”

 

“We’ll see.” She answers, hopping over their propped up legs to head to the kitchen. 

 

“And it’ll probably be a yes..” Michel grumpily foretold, still eyeing the girls. 

 

“What’re you guys watching?” Sookie asked, leaning over on the couch arm to get a closer look. 

 

“Only the greatest show of all time!” 

 

“After a smattering of _Friends,”_ The blonde mumbled, eyes still on the screen “Buffy was apparently the only other option.” 

 

“You like Buffy!” 

 

“I like it in _moderation,_ Rory,” Paris fought, tossing out her hand towards where Buffy was staking her next vamp “but not  in a religious scope like how you watch it; we honestly don’t need to watch ten episodes in a row just because Buffy stars in it and you have a cr – _ow!”_

 

Paris recoiled from when Rory pinched her arm and Michel had no time to question it before Lorelai came running over. 

 

“Aha!” She waves the papers she’d collected from their hiding place among the kitchen snacks, wearing an all too prideful grin “This is where I tell you I told you so.” 

 

Michel only grumbled, swiping the papers away  and  began combing  through them. Lorelai turned back to the two on the couch.

 

“Hey, what’s goin’ on over here?” 

 

“Clearly a lovers spat..” Michel mumbled, just low enough for no one to hear him. Almost. Paris snaps her head to him right after and then he can feel glaring eyes melting the side of his head. 

 

“Just some t.v classics and pizza.” Rory answers, obviously having not heard. 

 

“Ah, a respected practice.” 

 

“Well given the _buzzing,_ happening place that Stars Hallow is,” Paris grumbled “it was either this, or go to bed already, so..” 

 

“Mm. Speaking of, by the way, sorry that we don’t have any more beds so that you have to bunk together..” 

 

“Lorelai that’s hardly a problem.”

 

“I have a blow-up you know.” Sookie piped up.

 

“Oh! How do we feel about blow-ups?” 

 

“Oh, Sookie, you don’t have to go to all that trouble..” Rory quickly dismissed. Michel now raised a brow and shifted his eyes over to them from the files.

 

“You’re sure? You guys don’t mind sharing? It’s a lot of personal space compromised..”

 

“That’s alright.” Paris drawls “Something tells me we’ll be very comfortable sharing one..–”

 

Michel’s eyes bug out.

 

“Hey!” Rory nearly squeaked, sitting up rather fast “Um, you guys staying over, or..?” 

 

“Nah, we’re just here to help your mom find the missing files.” 

 

“ _Which_ , can I say, were only misplaced for a mere couple hours and that I found them right away –”

 

“Well don’t get too excited.” Michel cut in with a glare over “because this is only _half_ of the files.” 

 

“What?!” Lorelai gawked, ripping them back from his hands. Flipping through them, she just then, started to notice the gaps. 

 

“Lorelai some of the papers on individual files are simply _missing!_ Honestly, this will be the last time I let either of you into any of the bookings!” 

 

“What did I do?!” Sookie demanded. 

 

“Okay okay,” Lorelai huffed, trying to regroup “they’re _around,_ we just, uh, have to..–”

 

“Oh save it!” He brushed off, taking the files back to gather them nicely “If we do that then we’ll all be here till _midnight._ We’ll simply have to address this tomorrow.”

 

At that, he only turned and stalked back off to the door. Sookie exchanged looks with Lorelai but followed him out. Lorelai gave a quick “be right back” signal to the girls, Rory giving a thumbs up in return. She dashed out, closing the door and walking down the porch steps to meet them.

 

“Alright, so I guess we’re just giving up for now?..”

 

“Might as well leave it. I mean, it’s late already, and you have Rory and Paris over.” Sookie shrugged, a smile coming back on “You know, those two are so sweet, it’s nice they’re so close.” 

 

“Oh, yeah, you’re telling me – they’ve come a long way from being at each other’s throats.”

 

“Well it’s so important to have good girl friends.” 

 

“Vital. I mean, Rory has Lane, but her and Paris have become so entwined at friends –”

 

“You two _must_ be joking!” 

 

Lorelai and Sookie both turned to  a somewhat enraged  Michel.

 

“My god, I’d be surprised if you both don’t develop _cataracts_ by how blind you are!” 

 

Both women glanced at one another. Neither is sure where what part of that conversation was so upsetting. Finally, Lorelai put her hands at her hips. 

 

“Alright,” She sighed in the way one would towards a toddler with a tantrum “what is it we did now?” 

 

“I just...how can you have not seen _that?!”_

 

“Seen _what_ Michel?!” 

 

He just angrily thrust a hand to the house. He looked  about ready to implode. 

 

“Either I’m hallucinating, or your daughter and her _friend_ were cuddling all over your tacky sofa!” 

 

They blinked back at him. 

 

“...You know Michel if I didn’t know you extremely well, I would find it kinda weird how fixated you are with my young daughter and her _friend.”_ Lorelai rose an eyebrow, making sure to draw out the over-the-top french accent at the end. Michel sighed like it caused him great pain. 

 

“ _Something_ is going on here Lorelai. And the both of you can’t even see it when it’s staring both of you down!” 

 

“..There are a lot of goings on though.” Sookie pointed out. 

 

“It’s true. Which goings on are you referring to?” Lorelai asked. 

 

Michel groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. One day he was going to die  from of mental strain caused by these two women, he just knew it. 

 

“Look, Michel,” Lorelai reasoned “maybe men don’t like close quarters, touchy-feely stuff with one another, but with girlfriends, you’re downright encouraged to act like a couple who’s already been dating for three years.” 

 

“It’s like having an instant cuddle buddy.” Sookie agreed.

 

“Good god, you people are _impossible.”_ Michel  griped, Lorelai not able to question _you people_ as he plows forward “This is not your innocent slumber party with the girls, and I cannot believe you’re missing all the signs _literally_ lying at your feet!” 

 

Lorelai  just  stood, staring and observing for a little while.  There wasn’t much she could do to verbally shut down this argument anymore.  Finally she moved and wrapped her arms around Sookie, head resting atop hers. Sookie instantly had hers around her the second after.

 

“How do you feel now?” Lorelai asks him, failing to keep the smugness out of her voice “What’s secretly going on here?” 

 

“ _Oh my god –_ _”_

 

Sookie very obviously nuzzled her head against Lorelai “I have to help Lorelai look at new curtain patterns for the  I nn – that’s suspicious, right?” 

 

“I swear you two –”

 

“Would it blow your mind if I told you Sookie was actually the big spoon out of the two of us?” 

 

“That’s it!” Michel throws up his hands and stalks off, steam already spouting from his ears. 

 

“What about your ride?” Lorelai grinned

 

“I will _walk!”_

 

“ _Now_ we’ve maxed him out.” Sookie concludes. They both high-five. 

 

-

 

Lorelai  ended up giving them a ride back to the Inn anyway. She guessed it was compensation for not only misplacing the files, but then only finding half of them. She was still adamant that they weren’t lost though. 

 

When she got back  to  the house she suspected the girls to  continuing to  be lounging  in front of the t.v. Though once approaching the steps, Lorelai could hear the  their voices reverberating inside; loudly and huffy. They seemed to be arguing,  both sounding accusatory and talking of some hypothetical person, a him, that  she  had missed .  Arguments weren’t totally rare when Paris was around, Lorelai knew that. Although it was actually Rory’s voice that she was hearing  the most .

 

After opening the door, she walked back in to see them  actually up from the couch and Rory staring Paris down.

 

“...nearly gave it away!” 

 

“Well honestly I wouldn’t have to worry about him if _you_ weren’t keeping  us –”

 

“Hey.” Lorelai greets, brow raised “What happened to the serene lounging on the couch..?” 

 

“Nothing, it’s fine.” Rory brushed off, Paris huffing and folding her arms “You guys get everything sorted out?” 

 

“Mm, halfway. Still haven’t found the other files, so they’ve now recruited themselves to come over and help me later.” She explained, shutting the door behind her and giving a sympathetic look “..Sorry about dinner, and that I’ve been kinda MIA so far for the whole break thing. It’s just with all these files being missing –”

 

Paris broke in, walking over “Lorelai that’s perfectly acceptable. Your work comes first after all.”

 

“Well hopefully this’ll resolve itself soon. Hey, here, I’ll help you guys with this –”

 

She’s leaned down to help pull over the  small and currently over-stuffed suitcase, but Paris quickly had a handle on it, yanking it up and over to the stairs.

 

“It’s alright, I’ve got it.” 

 

“Well, don’t you guys need help with your stuff –”

 

“Actually, that is all our stuff.” Rory walks over to her other side. 

 

“One suitcase?” 

 

“Well Paris actually lost her bag –”

 

“I didn’t _lose it_ , it’s been misplaced in that mess you call a hall closest in our place!” 

 

“– and so,” Rory’s eyes roll to the side “we had to pack our things all together. It’s just a mesh of our stuff.”

 

“Wow. Hey, how do you know you’re becoming an old married couple, huh?” Lorelai chuckled. 

 

Paris, from where she was trying to drag the suitcase up the stairs, muttered quietly enough to not be completely heard, 

 

“Well you’re pretty close..” 

 

“What was that..?” 

 

“Nothing!” Rory answers her mother for her, smiling quite wide “Um, I know you missed dinner and everything, so we saved you your favourite – four slices of pizza.” 

 

“Oh! Gimmie!” 

 

Lorelai has the rest of the pizza, sitting through a couple more episodes of t.v with them and chatting back and forth. She still didn’t see what Michel was on about. They seemed like their normal, bickering selves; she’d hear them later when they’d all gone to bed,  arguing about something Lorelai was sure Paris was on about, which frankly she wasn’t even going to  bother  investigat ing abou t. B ut soon the voices  slowed down and it was quiet – normal By now, Lorelai should know better then to trust  Michel’s over-dramatics. 

 

She fell asleep contently and with plans on how to get the rest of the files so he wouldn’t get the last word. 

 

-

 

By the late morning, Lorelai was still searching. 

 

She refused to give in. After all, it wasn’t like they had just got up and  _walked off._ They were around, and she was finding them, less she have to make-up new ones (and get  belittled by her colleague again for the umpteenth time).

 

She’d turned both the kitchen and living room upside down in her search. No results. Now she was upstairs after searching her own room, desperately trying to come up with the next possible place. 

 

She ends up looking across to Rory’s open bedroom door. There’s  _a_ possibility. 

 

The girls were already up and gathered downstairs, so she walks in to the empty room with it’s unmade bed and pyjamas scrunched with sheets, no doubt from Rory telling Paris it was pointless to fold and put them back for a three day weekend. Lorelai, chewing  on the inside of her cheek  with thought, scanned for the best place some files would’ve wandered off to.

 

She was sure it had to be over by the desk, given all the other stationary was  piled there. She walked over to see, leaning over to dig through the leftover papers lying around – 

 

Though once she did, her foot hit the suitcase, toppling it and sending it smashing to the ground. Content s soon came flying out, spilling onto the floor from the side that wasn’t properly zipped up. 

 

Groaning, she  knelt down and quickly  started  picking it all up. Some pairs of socks, someone’s loose make-up brush, Rory’s book probably, a – 

 

Wait. 

 

_Wait._

 

That can’t..why would they have..no it wasn’t – 

 

It was. 

 

Lorelai, confused as all get out, shoots right back up. She holds an unmistakable crinkly packet in her hand, square and just a bit bigger then the size of her palm. It had a recognizable brand logo  on it  and words like  _latex_ and  _pleasure._

 

Yes, it was. 

 

To say she was  flummoxed was an understatement. Why was this in here??? Well, yes, they were college students and Lorelai wasn’t an idiot. But for a three day stay with your mother and friend? What could you need this for? Rory hadn’t mentioned seeing Dean, or even anyone else for that matter, and it wasn’t really like her to lie about  relationships .

 

She had so many questions. Was it Rory’s? Was it Paris’s? Why was it in the bag for  _both_ of their stuff then in the practical place of someone’s purse? Was it some kind of  bizarre prank? Was it even a real one? She dared to peer closer. And what the hell was a dam???

 

She wanted answers to all of these. However, that would include interrogating both her daughter and Paris  for  information into their sexual relationships. Lorelai contemplated how much she  _really_ wanted to do that until she heard feet climbing up the stairs. 

 

_Crap._

 

In a moment of panic, the only thing she could think of was hastily standing the suitcase back up and sticking the packet into her pocket.  _Perfect_ . And then quickly rushing out of the room to meet Rory at the stairs. 

 

“Hey!” 

 

“Hey!..” Rory smiles back, eyeing her mother as she huffs like she just ran out of a crime scene.

 

“What’s up??” 

 

“Just..walking up the stairs..” 

 

“Oh..” 

 

“Actually, we were just about to head out for breakfast. Wanna come?”

 

“Huh? Oh, sorry kid, can’t – this file losing fiasco has got me totally tied up.” 

 

“Oh. Sure..” 

 

Lorelai was quick to see the quiet disappointment. She reaches and squeezes Rory’s arm, throwing in a smile. 

 

“But hey, dinner tonight? Your guys’s choice.”

 

Rory lights up “Oh! I hear that a dinner and theater show is being put on, and I wanted to take Paris to that.” 

 

“You wanna take _Paris?”_

 

“I just wanna see how long she’ll last.”

 

Lorelai snorted, a grin spread “Sounds like harmless fun  that totally won’t end with Paris clawing anyone alive ..” 

 

“Great!” Rory turns back down the stairs, yelling “Par! We’re gonna go to that dinner theater tonight!” 

 

“Oh my god, _why?!”_

 

Lorelai chuckled. Seemed like whatever might’ve been a problem last night, was all fine now. She eventually let them be, off to their breakfast while she went to work. As she walked to the Jeep, she could feel the secret still pressed inside her pocket. 

 

This’ll be a fun work day. 

 

-

 

Lorelai  was back  behind the Inn’s desk, doing her all to pay attention to the tasks at hand. It wasn’t like she was  _totally_ out of it, she was still  completing her work. It was just that she’d made about ten mistakes when updating the guest book that she had to scribble out, had caught her hand in the binder rings thee times, and had already spilled coffee on herself. Just because she had to know  _what in god’s name the secret in her pocket was_ _about_ _._

 

She knew it  _probably_ shouldn’t bother her as much as it was. In reality, she’d  suspect it was only a simple mistake. What she really blamed her  curiosity on, was Michel. His weirdly cryptic message of  _something weird going on_ was now repeating over in her head and it was hard not to worry that there actually  _was_ . She just had to figure out what that  _was_ yet.

 

It took a couple seconds for her to key into the  unintelligible mumbling by her ear and realize Sookie had not only magically appeared, but was now talking to her. She whipped her head over and blinked back to the curious expression. 

 

“Sorry, uh, you mind repeating all of what you said?..” 

 

Instead Sookie rose  an eye brow, clearly more amused then annoyed. 

 

“I said, it’s rather hard with you here, but that, it seems, your mind has taken a round-trip vacation.” She smiled easy, eyes flicking back to the coffee stain and angry indents on her palm “..Penny for your thoughts?” 

 

Lorelai sighed “It..it’s nothing, I just..appear to have stumbled into a mystery I’m attempting to sort out..” 

 

Sookie lit up with a bit of interest “..You know, I make a very good crime-solving sidekick.” 

 

It really wasn’t a crime, but Lorelai did have to admit that if she wanted to untangle this question, maybe it would be a good idea to bring in someone else. And no better accomplice then her best friend, after all.

 

Quickly glancing around, she snatches Sookie’s hand and rushes  towards the nearest empty hall, away from guests and staff. Once they were tucked away, Lorelai, in her rare seriousness, looks to a curious Sookie. 

 

“Okay, before we start, this was an _accidental_ finding, and must go to your grave before anyone else finds out.”

 

Sookie made a zipping motion across her lips, tossing the pretend key over her shoulder. No questions. Lorelai sighed, and stuffed her hand into her pocket for the plastic packet, holding it out as stealthily as she could

 

“I found.. _this_ , in with Rory and Paris’s things..” 

 

Sookie squinted at it, taking the wrapper between her fingers.

 

“Is this...” 

 

“Looks like it.” Lorelai mutters, crossing her arms. 

 

“That...can’t be. Why would they have that?” 

 

“That’s what I’m thinking, but what else would it be?”

 

“I dunno, I mean..what-what does ‘dam’ mean? Like the thing beavers build??” 

 

“I don’t _know!”_ Lorelai admitted with exasperation. 

 

“..Well I guess there’s only one way to find out –”

 

“No Sook! –”

 

But the damage was done. Sookie went ahead and ripped the corner back, revealing the coloured rubber. She weaseled it out of the wrapper,  un folding it to hold it between her hands, and then  _both_ eyes went wide. 

 

“Wait, _what_?” Lorelai stepped forward, rubbing the thin, red material between her fingers. Yep, it definitely _felt_ like..

 

“This is weird..” Sookie awed, peering closer “It’s..it’s like those rubber mask things dentists put over your mouth..” 

 

“But _why?”_ Lorelai furrowed at it “Is it like..some kind of _new_ model or something?..” 

 

“But..it’s not even circular. Just flat.” The chef observed; she began to stretch it between her hands, watching the rubber expand.

 

“Like, how..how would you even apply..” 

 

“I mean, _I guess_ , you could still wrap it around..”

 

“But doesn’t that just make it unnecessarily complicated?” 

 

“Maybe it’s what college kids are into now. We might just be old..”

 

“Okay, _stop_ flipping it. Well – _sigh_ – well are we sure it’s even..” 

 

“Lorelai. C’mon.” Sookie held it up to the taller woman “Maybe we’re old, but we’re not _that_ far out of the game.” 

 

“Not near the face, please.” Lorelai winced, pushing her arms back down “I just..I... _when_ would this have happened?! Like when would Rory have brought in a guy?! _Especially_ after she told me she wasn’t seeing anyone. And it was with both of their stuff, so like, I don’t know how both of them would’ve brought – okay I did _not_ need that mental image..” 

 

Lorelai  huffed , pinching the bride of her nose. Sookie made a sympathetic face.

 

“Well, we both know Rory would never do anything behind your back, it’s just so unlike her. And I think Paris would be more likely to sprout wings first then doing something like this either.” 

 

“Yeah, I just, I don’t know..–”

 

That’s when they were interrupted by the noise of oncoming footsteps and Michel’s demanding voice. 

 

Oh joy.

 

“Lorelai, the Wilkersons are complaining yet _again_ about the lack of breakfast options, and I’ve told them that we do not poach, scramble, do overeasy and sunny side up _all together_ for their eggs but _apparently_ – ”

 

That’s when he looked up from his clipboard to them. And that was probably the most surprise Lorelai had ever seen him show. Blinking back shock, he was completely silent as he placed his hand over lips, just silently oggling them. And the two women could only stare back in their  completely  compromised position and wait for the onslaught. Until finally, 

 

“Where in the world..” Michel spoke gravely, gesturing to the rubber “did you two get that?” 

 

“Did you know what it is?!” Lorelai demanded, rushing over to him. 

 

“Lorelai found it with Rory and Paris’s stuff.” Sookie answers. 

 

He goes silent again. Fingers go back over lips, this time to conceal a very,  _very_ smug grin. Poorly. Lorelai furrowed. 

 

“He totally does! And he’s mocking us!” 

 

“What is it?!” 

 

“Tell us!” 

 

“Oh, believe me, I would Lorelai..” Michelle grins, lifting up Sookie’s hands to get a better look at it “but I think this is more of a conversation to have with your daughter, and her...friend.” 

 

“A conversation on what?!” Lorelai shouted; she was now _very_ lost and no one was giving her answers “I mean, is it really..” 

 

“I’m not at liberty to say.” Michelle flippantly says, pushing it back down and still delighted as possible. 

 

“Little smug, French bastard..” Lorelai grumbled “Alright, fine! If _no one_ will give me any answers, I’ll have to go interrogate my daughter _mysel_ _f.”_

 

-

 

Lorelai took the next possible early break off she could. She intended to just talk to Rory herself, be as diplomatic as possible, but, as things would go, now Michelle and Sookie were following her in. Sookie was kind enough to mask it like she was just  gonna help find the rest of the files, but when she asked Michelle why  _he_ was coming all he said was  _“oh, I’m not missing this.”_ So now she was dealing with that too.

 

“You know, you seem awfully smug for no good reason.” Lorelai tells him, pushing the door open to let them inside. 

 

“Oh I _have_ my reasons Lorelai.” He argued, the usual displeased look and folded arms “You two are just blind as _bats_ and haven’t been able to see them.” 

 

“Well prepare to feel very bad about yourself in a couple minutes.” She shot back, beginning to climb the stairs as they followed, despite the fact that she really had no idea what he was on about. Michel only scoffed and rolled his eyes. Sookie nervously glanced from him up to her best friend,

 

“I mean, do you really think..” 

 

“C’mon guys, I know Rory!” Lorelai explained, making the final step “And I know she’d never lie to me! And that there’s a _perfectly_ reasonable explanation for all this. So, you guys stay here. I’m going to prove this all to both of you,”

 

They stayed back as she made her way across to the bedroom and grasped Rory’s bedroom doorhandle. 

 

“right now. Rory!” 

 

Lorelai threw open the door. 

 

And that was either the best or worst option. 

 

Rory was in there. As was Paris. Both of them, backed up to the wall, Rory sandwiched in between. And that might’ve been odd enough, but was only helped by a few other details. 

 

That Rory’s shirt was completely gone and her hand was tangled in Paris’s hair to hold her  flesh up against. And that Paris had her hand inching up under Rory’s skirt. And that they were making out. 

 

Lorelai was so shocked she wasn’t  even able to say anything but that didn’t really matter because the sound of the door being thrown open was enough. Rory’s eyes flew open to spot her mother and all colour completely drained from her face.

 

“ _Mom!!”_

 

Paris’s eyes went wide and she spun around and then lost her complexion too. 

 

“ _Shit_ – Lorelai?!” 

 

It was madness for about five seconds. Lorelai was too shellshocked to do anything and out of the two standing back who could just barely see, Sookie was too busy averting her eyes, so Michel had to rush over and quickly shut the door, leaving Paris to gape and Rory to desperately cover herself. When he turns back to his boss, that smile  was miles long .

 

“And this is the part, Lorelai, where I tell you _I told you so.”_

 

-

 

The minutes following the event were horrendously uncomfortable, to say the least.

 

Some period after as the two women tried to find their grounding and Michel continued to look very pleased, the girls came inching out from behind the closed door. They fumble and stutter with apologies and  explanations but Lorelai only has the brain capacity to tell them to go sit at the kitchen table. 

 

So there they all were, the two of them on one side and the adults on the other. Lorelai was furrowing with confusion and Paris and Rory couldn’t meet their eyes, boring holes into the table instead and shrunk into their seats. 

 

“….In our defense,” Rory finally mutters, still looking away “we weren’t expecting you home until the two hours later when you’d said you be..” 

 

“You know, that doesn’t make me feel much better..” Lorelai admitted. 

 

“Or that no one seems to have heard of _knocking.”_ Paris grumbles. 

 

“Oh believe me, I _would’ve_ had I known!” Lorelai exclaims. Right now, all she can think about what that there was a reason for that thing being in the suitcase. A specific explicit reason. 

 

“Really,” Michel speaks up “you would’ve thought a pair of college students would’ve known to at least put a sock on the door handle.” 

 

Rory flushes red. Paris’s lips curl back. 

 

“Honestly, what the _hell_ are you people doing here?!” She straightens up to glare over at the others “You don’t live here! Or are you just contractually obligated to follow Lorelai wherever she goes?!” 

 

Sookie shrinks back slightly “I..I came to help with the papers..” 

 

Paris points her glare to Michel. He just shifts his eyes to his boss, clearly waiting for the moment of truth. 

 

“Lorelai..?” 

 

The older woman only sighs languidly into her hands. Both the girls, especially Rory, shift, sensing the sudden switch in the conversation that hinted to something.

 

“What mom..?” 

 

There’s a long, long silence as Lorelai  contemplates. Eventually, dragging her hands down her face, she drops them and sits back up. Frankly, she couldn’t lie herself out of this one. Plus, if this really  was  what it  was insinuating , then she’s a little miffed at what these girls were trying to hide from her.

 

“Sookie,” Lorelai holds out her hand to her “the evidence, if you please.”

 

The chef places both the rubber material and wrapper into her hand, which Lorelai takes. And then slams down onto the table in front of them. Both girls go horribly white. Then, after a couple  aching seconds of terrible silence, Paris spins to Rory with  screeching rage . 

 

“I told you to put those away back at the house!!!” 

  
“I..I  _did!..”_ Rory sputtered, poking at the wrapper with disbelief “I-I mean, most of them, I – ”

 

“Most?! So you lied?!”

 

“No, I _did!_ This was probably a stray! A stray that..somehow got in...” 

 

“I can’t believe you – how could you have possibly screwed that up?!”

 

“Me?! You’re the one who always wants to use them!” 

 

“Don’t blame me Rory, it is _not that hard_ to put away a couple –”

 

“Okay, hey!!” Lorelai broke in, waving her arms to get them to look over “The couple fights can wait till later – are you going to let the rest of us out of the dark by saying that this _is_ pretty much what it looks like…?” 

 

They quieted. Paris fumed quietly and Rory just stared at the table while her cheeks heated up. 

 

“It is...” She mumbled. 

 

Again, Lorelai was quiet. All she could do was fall back into her chair, Michel putting a hand to her back so she didn’t completely slip off. Sookie furrowed and unfurrowed her brow. 

 

“Well I guess that mystery is solved..”

 

Finally, Lorelai snapped back, spinning to Michel and slapping him angrily across the arm. To which he let out a girlish “ow!”, inching away from the ferocious glare. 

 

“And you couldn’t have just told us that up front?!” 

 

“I felt this was not my conversation to have..” He answered surprisingly calmly. There was still the trace of a grin at the corner of his lips though.

 

“Wait, Michel knew?!” 

 

“He found us ogling the..thing..” Sookie told them. 

 

“ _I told you!_ ” Paris roared, also slapping Rory on the arm for emphasis “I told you he knew something! Look at him! He’s smug as hell!”

 

“I do not know why you are all ganging up on _me,_ I did not out or harm anyone..” He glared back, keeping his stance against the army of angry women. 

 

Paris scoffed “You might as  _well have_ with that  smug and knowing look I know you were watching us with!”

 

“Well frankly, your outright puppy-eyes for Rory didn’t give you any coverage either so don’t blame me that you’re a poor liar who cannot put a sock on a door handle.” 

 

Paris sprung up snarling from her chair. Rory, still glaring at the table, grabbed her arm and pushed her right back down onto it. When it quieted a bit, Sookie leaned forward.

 

“But..why does it look like that?” She squinted, eyeing the heap of red latex. Paris’s head fell back, eyes rolling into the back of her head. 

 

“Well I’m sure this will come as a _massive_ surprise to all of you, but _turns out_ , neither Rory or I have a penis –”

 

Rory let her head fall and hit the table. 

 

“– so the average ones that you all are familiar with _aren’t_ really going to do the job are they?!” 

 

“Then..why..– I mean, _clearly_ no one’s getting pregnant – ”

 

“Because Paris is paranoid.” Rory spoke into the table, muffled because she refused to lift her head, before her girlfriend could explain herself. The blonde huffed instead.

 

“Just like _any_ instance, you take precaution – ”

 

“She makes us use them, even though we’re both _fine_.” Rory hisses, finally looking up to glare at Paris.

 

“It’s called being _safe_ – would you rather just wear it or be disease ridden for the rest of your life?!” 

 

“ _Okay,_ ” Lorelai cut in with one decisive hand movement, other pinching the bridge of her nose “now that I think I’m done having _this_ conversation, Rory, kid, you and I _need_ to talk –”

 

“Listen Lorelai,” Paris suddenly broke in, leaning over the table with a rather somber expression, probably thanked by a now very worried looking Rory “before..anything, I want you to know that this isn’t some..temporary, thing. That it’s some flippant college experiment. This is a _real_ relationship. And I want to be with Rory.” 

 

Lorelai stopped, brow pi nching together. Slowly, she sat back into her spot, keeping Paris’s steady gaze. Paris swallowed thickly, trying to ignore all the eyes on her. Or Rory’s curious ones she can feel on the back of her head. 

 

“And I know this is probably..unnerving for you – not like it wasn’t for _us_ either to discover this – but I..I want it to be serious. I believe it _is_ serious. Because..because she means a lot to me. She always has. So I wouldn’t want to do anything to ruin it. And I really love Rory, so please, before you decide to..–”

 

Lorelai sighed, feeling her anger chip away. It was kind of hard not to with  _that_ heartfelt piece, goddamn it. 

 

“Kid –”

 

“You love me?” 

 

H eads spin to Rory who was staring at Paris, intently and with a kind of surprise that was hard to place; maybe awe, maybe hopeful, maybe scared. Paris pales for about the fourth time today.

 

“I-I mean..I.. _shit_..” She sighs  exasperatedly “..I, yes, I do love you. I..I guess I always have. And, _god_ , if this wasn’t the _worst_ place and time for this to happen! And I know..it’s probably earlier then when one place a mark for these kinds of things, but..christ, it’s only because I’ve probably been falling in love with you since we started becoming close and I’m just very _late_ catching up alright so, just, don’t panic, or –”

 

“I love you too.” 

 

Paris whips her head back up to her. Now Rory’s grinning, soft and shinning. And Paris only looks like she can’t believe it. The adults share glances, but the other two don’t even notice. 

 

“You..you do..?”

 

Rory just nods vapidly. No long, entangled speeches. That’s when Paris grins; a true smile, excited and giddy and very happy, head ducked down and a light, almost non-believing laugh comes out. A grinning Rory leans over to place a kiss at her temple, and everyone swear s Paris nearly blushes, beaming at the scene. 

 

“Okay, hey,” Lorelai interrupts, trying to give them a good glare but she’s not sure if it’s working “stop doing that. It’s hard to be mad at you when you’re being adorable..” 

 

This time, they both blush with a bit of embarrassment.

 

“Okay, okay – you and I,” Lorelai looks pointedly over at Rory, gesturing between them “are still having a one-on-one.” 

 

She gets up directly from the chair with  that same  a seriousness not  exactly  known to her character. Rory, head still down, slowly got up to follow. The other two just caught Paris squeezing her hand before she was gone. Lorelai turned to the crowd.

 

“The rest of you just...idle. And Sook,” She leans back in from the doorway to point towards her best friend “I’m trusting you to watch them, so that way when I come back neither of them is half-way to being mauled.” 

 

Now, Sookie paled. 

 

“Wh-wha, b-but –”

 

Lorelai was gone, herding Rory next to her, leaving the chef with the other two who’d gone back to glaring over the table. 

 

They stopped half-way down the hall, just enough to be out of earshot. Facing Rory, Lorelai folded her arms and stared right down until her daughter spoke. Rory  simply  looked to the floor,  pressing her lips  into a thin line in the silence. 

 

“Well...at least I’m not pregnant!...” Rory tried for a smile, a positive point, but the pointed look her mother wore had it slipping away immediately. 

 

“No. Just having excessively safe sex a few feet away from me.” 

 

“ _Mom!”_ Rory burrowed her head in her hands, her sigh muffled “We, god..we-we _didn’t_..we...nothing happened, that was just left there by accident – ”

 

“Right, ‘cause upstairs looked pretty compromising..” 

 

Rory only made a kind of strangled noise, keeping her head in her hands. It wasn’t hiding the blush  that well. 

 

“It-it wasn’t..we weren’t going to..we were just....messing around..”

 

Lorelai clucked her tongue, furrowed like she was thinking hard “Well, honestly, I don’t know enough to know what constitutes messing around to  _not_ messing around to be mad – like without..I mean, if neither of you has..– like, where do you draw the line?” 

 

“Ohmygod can we _not_ have a reverse sex talk right now?!” Rory begged, eyes so wide it showed how much she wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. 

 

“Agreed. I wasn’t really dying to know anyway.” Lorelai confessed. When Rory still wouldn’t look her in the eye, she sighed. 

 

“Look, kid, you know I don’t really care about this kinda stuff. I mean, you’re sorta an adult now, college and everything. So as long as you’re being safe, it doesn’t matter to me.” Finally, Rory started lifting her gaze, if just a little bit to look up at her “I just..ask that you respect the sanctity of the childhood bedroom so that I don’t have to suffer the noises of bed squeaks coming from it..” 

 

Rory’s cheeks went back to flaming. But she easily, if not hastily, nodded her head. 

 

“Yeah, I get it – sorry. I mean, we still weren’t going to, but we’ll..refrain, from anything..” 

 

“Fantastic, an agreement has been met. Now, we get to go onto _how long has this been going on?!”_

 

Rory practically shriveled three sizes, head shrunk down and back to staring at the floorboards 

 

“Um..three months..?” 

 

“Three months?!” Lorelai gawked, trying not dwell on the sting of that metaphorical slap.

 

“ _Almost_ three months! I-I know it’s a long time, but..I just..couldn’t say – y-you couldn’t know yet –”

 

Lorelai sighed, head dropping down “Okay, okay, I know I’m not... _indebted_ to every piece of your life, but..but I mean..I...just,  _c’mon!”_

 

“I _know,”_ Rory tried to reason, explain, looking as guilty as she felt “It’s – ”

 

“Like, you _don’t_ have to tell me everything Rory, it’s more..” Lorelai bit into her cheek, not wanting to let the guilt based lump in her throat get tighter “..I’m just, trying not to be insulted that you would think I wouldn’t be okay with this –”

 

“Oh my god, no!” Rory’s eyes bug and she grasps onto Lorelai’s wrist “Mom, no, it’s not that! Please don’t think that!” 

 

Lorelai swallowed the lump, cautiously meeting the desperate gaze “..You’re sure?” 

 

“ _Yes,_ yes, I’m sure! It-it’s not about you mom, really, I promise. Like, I knew you’d be totally.. _fine_ with it, it’s just..I know it’s kinda _weird_ at first – like even _I_ was weird about it, just ask Paris! It-it’s taken me this long to finally feel..unweird, about it..” 

 

“So, it was more a..self discovery thing, then anything else..” Lorelai watched her slowly nod, exhaling heavily “‘Cause I...if this was, something that you’ve always..felt, but, felt like, _all_ this time, you had to lie to me, I don’t want – ”

 

“No, no, it’s not that..” She started smiling a bit again, relieving her mother “This is _very_ new, something..I didn’t even really know right away and kind of..had to, figure it out, before saying anything. Which is why there hasn’t been any..you know..announcement, I guess..”

 

“But, you’ve sorta configured it now..?” Lorelai finally asked aloud, accompanied by a raised brow. Thankfully, Rory only nodded again, quietly with the small grin on her face. An easy smile, she realized. It got her grinning too. 

 

“Just, without any kind of declaration or anything..” 

 

“Well, yeah..” 

 

“Mm. Well, no time like the present.” 

 

Her smile fell down “I-I don’t – ”

 

“C’mon kid.” Lorelai encouraged, throwing in a grin as she straightened her back, preparing “Go ahead.” 

 

Rory could only sigh, head tipping back. Alright. No sneaking out of this one. So instead, she swallowed to clear her throat and took a deep  breath . Okay. Okay.

 

“Mom,” She slowly lifted up her eyes, peering up to meet her head on “I’m bisexual.” 

 

“ _Fantastic.”_

 

A beat of silence, and then Rory starts laughing. The somber and anxious look broke into a smile and scrunched eyes, her fingers pinching the bride of her nose.  _Of course._ Lorelai started grinning too. 

 

“You know this makes you infinitely more cooler, right?” 

 

“And what? I was a loser before?” Rory tries to challenge, but the happy relief in her voice gave her away. 

 

“Ehhh..” Lorelai squinted, making that _iffy_ gesture with her hand. More grins.

 

“ _Thanks.”_

 

She could’ve lovingly berated some more, but that could wait. Instead she throws open her arms and pulls Rory in, holding on tight. The younger grins into her shoulder, hands grasping onto her back, digging in just maybe a little too tight. It stays like that for a little while, both gripping on close. Rory soon feels a hand gently rubbing at her back. Her eyes screw tightly closed and her throat closes in. It’s done now. _It’s okay._ She breaths out deeply and smiles bigger. 

 

A shuffling breaks them apart. They pull back to see Paris nervously  idling nearby. 

 

“..Sorry.” She blurts out, edging closer “I just..got worried. And there was only _so much_ I could handle at Sookie’s poor attempts at conversation filler.” 

 

Thankfully, the two smiled back. Paris made her way to Rory, worry clearly etched in her face. 

 

“Is everything alright?..” She asked, a cautious hand hovering close to her girlfriend’s. Rory smiled back and laced their hands together. 

 

“Perfectly fine.”

 

Now, Paris smiles,  perhaps somewhat relived “Good. I mean, I thought so, I just..” 

 

“I know Par.” She tells her. Lorelai catches the way Rory smooths her thumb over her palm. Damn it, that has her smiling now too.

 

“..Alright,” She gives in, tearing them from one another to look back “I’ll say that I really am happy for you guys. Admittedly, it’s pretty cute..” 

 

The two girls grinned brighter, sharing a secret, bashful side glance as their fingers intertwined tighter. 

 

“..But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for trying to pull a fast one on me!”

 

Smiles dropped and were replaced with red cheeks.

 

“Mom that’s not what we were _trying –_ ”

 

“Lorelai I hope you wouldn’t think that I’d disrespect your hospitality or your home, we never –”

 

“Hey hey, I know – but I had you two goin’ pretty good.” She grinned even with the unamused expressions “And yeah, I know not _really,_ but you still weren’t jumping at the chance for Sookie’s extra mattress, were you?” 

 

Eyes went down at that.

 

“I guess we..took advantage of a...convenient situation..” Rory muttered guiltily to the floor. Lorelai wore her folded arms very smugly.

 

“Mm. So dare I say, this is just rewards. _However_ ,” She reaches across to lovingly squeeze Rory’s arm “I’m happy for you kiddo, and pretty proud for the guts it took to tell me. And clearly, by that speech, you’re with someone who couldn’t love you more even if they tried.” 

 

Thankfully, the smile was returned. After, she had to break through the heart-eyes Paris was giving in order to speak to her next.

 

“And Paris, kid, you know I love ya.” Lorelai smiles over, just a mix between her usual warmth and then some parental formalness “And I think you’ll find Sookie’s extra mattress pretty suitable.” 

 

Paris tries to look her most serious, but there was the lightest hint of red on her cheekbones.

 

“Of course Lorelai. Thank you.” 

 

“Great. Now that that’s settled, I have to go find some files and fire my concierge for being a smug know-it-all.”

 

-

 

Rory didn’t get up until the house was completely silent.

 

With all the light off, and the house now sullen, she finally pushes away the covers of her bed and gets up. She’s been waiting until the right hour of the night when everyone was zonked – and really, she hadn’t been able to sleep anyway.

 

Rory fumbles out of her room and through the dark, finding the stairs to gradually make her way down. When she reaches the bottom, there’s the low light of the night sky outside streaming through the windows, just barely outlining the mattress on the living room floor. Under all the blankets, she caught the messy head of blonde hair.

 

Smiling tiredly, she shuffles her way over. Knees crashing down, she begins crawling over to her dozing girlfriend. The mattress dips as she scoots her way over, pulling up the blankets, which was finally enough to stir Paris. Some muffled noises, she turns all the way over to Rory, squinting up at her through the dark.

 

“What’re you doing..?” She whispers into the quiet, voice raspy from sleep

 

“‘Missed you.” Rory answers simply. She finally lays back, and shuffles right up to Paris, arm thrown over and nuzzled into her shoulder.

 

“..You’re going to get me in trouble.” Paris muttered. But she made no attempts to move away; in fact, she laid down on her other side now to face her, sliding her arm over her waist to pull her in.

 

“It’s fine..” Rory tells her. Her eyelids were already drooping and the sheets and her girlfriend were so soft, she just wanted to sleep now.

 

“Right. Because when your mom explicitly sent me down here to sleep, what she really wanted was for you to come get me..”

 

“‘Morrow’s Sunday. Mom will sleep in. I’ll go back..”

 

“But I don’t trust you to wake up in –”

 

“Shh.” Rory cuts her off, nestling in closer, sighing contently as she takes in the hint of cinnamon Paris always manages to smell like “It’s too late to argue..”

 

There’s some residual grumbling, but otherwise no opposition. She curls her arm tighter around Rory so that the brunette was now tucked under her chin. Rory was nearly asleep before –

 

“I’m proud of you you know..”

 

Rory’s brow crinkled, stretching to look up “What..?”

 

Paris sighed “I know..that’s not how you wanted to come out to your mom, that you wanted to tell her yourself. I mean, arguably, I think that was the least appeaseable way to come out –”

 

“Let’s never talk about it again.” Rory squeezed her eyes shut. The memory of her mom seeing her in her bra with her girlfriend’s hand half-way up her skirt, was one she wanted to be rid of forever.

 

“Agreed. But, either way, you did it. You told her. And I know...I was being unfair about it, pressuring you to tell her about us –”

 

“It’s okay, I know you hated lying..–”

 

“It’s not completely okay – I figured it was about me, but turns out I was wrong..”

 

“As you usually do figure.” Rory smiled gently “But I wasn’t taking your feelings into account either, so we’re both up one mistake.”

 

She leans forward and kisses her nose, watching Paris smile.

 

“But I don’t know what the big deal is, as we talked and solved it last night.”

 

“Well we came to a bitter agreement.”

 

“Which we often do.”

 

Paris scoffed amusedly. Rory leaned her head back down and rested against her, silent now.

 

“..So we won’t argue, until your mother catches us together and kicks me out, and _then_ I’m blaming you..”

 

Rory only smiles against her shoulder “I’ll come camp out with you then..”

 

There’s another light scoff, possibly a laugh, and Paris pulls her in closer. Silence falls over again, eyelids drooping and breaths slowing down to fall in place with one other, both beginning to now nod off. Before they were totally gone though, Rory needed to say one more thing.

 

“Besides,” She yawns slightly “you say that like...I’d let you sleep alone, after you said you love me..”

 

Rory feels, quietly, lips pressed at the top her head spread into a smile. No words, but a kiss is placed there.

 

After that, they both finally fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully that was good for you! And there's a button down below to let me know if you did. Anyway, I'm off to sleep, because I've been editing this godforsaken thing for two hours, and I have to be up again in four hours to go to work :P


End file.
